Chickpea and sweetcorn burgers

Looking to cut down on your meat? This recipe for Chickpea and Sweetcorn Burgers is a winner…

This meat-free burger recipe seems a little odd if you’re used to the juiciness of mince beef! But these are less hassle, and healthier too. The cumin and paprika give them a good kick, but you can of course leave it out if you’d rather something plain. They are lovely and firm to the touch, so little hands have no problem gripping them, and are soft and yummy inside.

Ingredients
1 x 400g tin chickpeas, drained
150g sweetcorn, cooked
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp garlic paste
2 tbsp plain flour
1 tbsp vegetable oil
Black pepper to season
Method
Pulse your chickpeas in your blender (or mash them up with a masher). Add the sweetcorn and pulse/mash them too. You don’t want it too smooth – keep it quite chunky.
Add the garlic paste, paprika, cumin and flour and mix well. Season with pepper.
Divide this mixture up and shape into patties (this should make 4 large patties, or 8 small bite-sized ones)
Brush each patty with a little oil
Heat a griddle pan. When it’s nice and hot, add the burgers.
Cook on each side for around 3 minutes until crisp and hot

These are yummy eaten straight away, but also delicious cold the next day. The super-short cooking time means that they’re a great fast food. A fantastic store-cupboard meal too; who doesn’t have a tin of chickpeas in their cupboard and a bag of sweetcorn in their freezer?

My little boy loved them and it’s certainly something that will become a lunchtime regular!
Health Benefits

Chickpeas – rich in manganese which helps build bones and is necessary for healthy bone structure. The fibre in chickpeas has been shown to help regulate appetite and reduce food cravingsCumin – a powerful antioxidant; it is also antiseptic and antibacterial, and can help improve blood circulation